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Hughes hails Stoke win, plays down Shaqiri fears

Mark Hughes hopes that victory over Southampton on Saturday can finally instigate his Stoke side finishing higher than their opponents in the Premier League.

Bojan Krkic’s 10th-minute strike secured City’s first win at St Mary’s, and their first on the south coast in 35 years.

Southampton have led the charge of the teams chasing the traditional top-six clubs in recent seasons, but Hughes feels this could be the year Stoke overtake them.

“Southampton have done really well in recent years finishing top-10, top-eight, top-seven, and we haven’t quite been able to catch them,” said the City boss.

“But maybe this is the season we’ll be able to do that.”

Stoke are rapidly becoming the top-flight’s latest away-day specialists with three wins, three draws and just one defeat on the road.

They comfortably sat on Bojan’s third goal of the season, a neat near-post flick from Erik Pieters’ cross, and could have scored more but for some wayward finishing from Xherdan Shaqiri and Marko Arnautovic.

“We are doing okay on the road and we need to keep it going,” added Hughes. “We have got a defensive platform which is helping us to get good results on the road.”

Swiss winger Shaqiri impressed again until he had to be withdrawn in the second half with a slight hamstring problem, but Hughes said the move was precautionary.

“He had a little tightness and that was the reasoning behind taking him off when we did,” the Welshman said.

“He wanted to go out and play the second half but it was important that we protected him a little bit, which is what we did.

“I was really pleased with what he offered us once more. You can see each game he plays that he is adapting and showing the undoubted qualities he possesses.”